Rep: Conan Has Been "Worried About Staff Since Day 1"

Conan O'Brien is adamant that his show's employees, who moved out with him from New York to Los Angeles for The Tonight Show, must be taken care of before he finalizes an exit deal with NBC, his rep told TVGuide.com.

that said some staff are upset O'Brien didn't accept NBC's offer of a 12:05 slot — which would have allowed staffers to keep their Tonight Show jobs — Leslee Dart said O'Brien has been "worried about his staff since Day 1.""That has been the first point in his discussions and would be a dealbreaker if his staff isn't taken care of," she said.She said she expects a deal to be finalized soon.

Dart said she did not know if NBC was being cooperative regarding the staff's accommodations, but said any deal O'Brien agrees to would not overlook the staff.

The New York Times reported that a settlement between O'Brien and NBC was down to final details involving O'Brien's staff, according to O'Brien's manager Gavin Polone. Polone told the newspaper the deal may take "another day or two."